Lou Peake

Odette: What have you working been on today?

Lou: Water. I’ve been trying to capture the Gavarresa [river that runs through Oristà] but it’s hard! It moves really fast, which is nothing like a photo. I’m not sure how I did. The scene itself was enough to think about but the light on top of that was a lot to take in. In general I’ve been working with oil pastels and watercolour. Watercolour is new to me, so that’s been a big challenge.

Odette: Are you a full time artist? How do you define yourself?

Lou: I consider myself a writer, but in the last few years art has become so compelling the balance has changed. I suppose you might say I was ‘creative’ in general. I’ve been writing for years, but a while back I was telling a friend about an art course I was doing. I said I was the least experienced artist on the course, and he said “you just called yourself an artist.” I guess that was the first time I’d said it. I’ve started to learn the technical elements, the basic shapes, because I feel like an artist would need those things. So I suppose that came from calling myself an artist.

Odette: And do you think you approach things differently now?

Lou: Yes, I suppose I do. I always wanted to illustrate my own stories but I decided a long time ago I couldn’t draw, so I didn’t. So,  even just talking about it now, it seems that labelling can change things both positively and negatively.

Odette: When do you think your creative life started?

I was a creative kid. I babysat my cousins and I used to tell them stories – not read to them, actually make the stories as up as I told them. They used to ask me to do it in the end because they really enjoyed them. I didn’t think of it as creative at the time, though.

There’s a lot of creativity in the family. In the previous generations it was all about crafts. I have a cousin who is a writer who has helped me enormously with my novel.

Odette:  We are really interested in artists with day jobs and how they approach their creative life. What advice would you give to someone who, like you, identifies as an artist but makes their living doing something else?

Lou: Everybody’s different! But I would suggest scheduling dates and deadlines. I have a productivity buddy and we hold each other accountable to what we’ve said we’d do, which is great.

I would also recommend finding cheap or free classes. The National Portrait Gallery [London] runs a drawing session one evening a week which is free, and it’s full of after-work artists.

Another thing is that I only work 3-4 days a week. For a while I was getting up at 6am to write before work. When I began to take my writing seriously I made a contract with myself to either work part-time or do shifts so I could also have a creative life, and I’ve done what I needed to to make that work for me.

Odette: Congratulations on finishing your book! What’s it about?

Lou: It’s called Nick in the Dark and it will be published under my pen name, Midge Kelly. It’s about an 11 year old boy who discovers he can turn into a bat. He realises his father is from another world, and that something from that world has left his sister in a coma.

Odette: And you illustrated the cover yourself?

Lou: Yep. Actually, my productivity buddy verbally boxed me into [laughs]. It’s in charcoal, inspired by Jim Kay’s illustrations for ‘A Monster Calls’, which I loved.

Odette: And when’s the book out?

Lou: It’s out on the 15th November. And it’ll be followed up by a second part. It’s been great writing part one knowing there’s a part two coming. I’ve been able to sow all kinds of seeds for later.

Odette: What did you take from your time here at Cel del Nord?

Lou: My biggest fear was that I wouldn’t be able to work all day, but that was nonsense. Given the right space, and the headspace, and the peace of Cel del Nord, I did it. That productivity – knowing that I can do that – has been a real boost.

If I came again I’d come with more confidence. That and I’d bring my acrylics. I’ve seen so many things that are crying out to painted! I’d also like to have done some more writing. Next time I think I’ll write in the mornings.

Odette: Do you think you’ll approach your work differently when you get home?

Lou: I really like hanging my work up on the line in the studio so I could look at it all together – see what’s worked and what hasn’t by comparison. I think I’ll be hanging a line up in my home studio when I get back.

I also liked thinking about my “practice”. I feel encouraged to keep going, and keep scheduling.

Lou Peake is an Australian children’s author and artist who lives and works in London. Her novel Nick in the Dark will be out on Kindle on 15th November 2018, published under her pen name Midge Kelly.

More information on National Portrait Gallery Drop-in Drawing Sessions can be found by clicking here.